By Chris Haring With Maryland among 18 states taking up medical aid in dying in their respective legislatures in 2024, it looks to neighboring Washington D.C. as an example. As the nation grapples with evolving perspectives on end-of-life options, the right-to-die movement continues to gain momentum, with a flurry of recent legislative activity, especially across … Continued
By Chris Haring Medical aid in dying advocates are raising concerns over a federal spending proposal that would repeal Washington D.C.’s Death with Dignity Act of 2016 A recently-introduced federal spending proposal has raised significant concerns regarding the future of Washington D.C.’s Death with Dignity Act. The bill, outlined in a summary by the Republican … Continued
Washington legislators have updated its Death with Dignity Act, removing barriers for patients with a terminal illness who choose medical aid in dying. When Washington became the second state to pass a Death with Dignity law in 2008, it was a tremendous victory – and step forward – for those supporting the right for patients … Continued
By Chris Haring Washington lawmakers consider amendment expanding the role of nurse practitioners in legal, medically-assisted death for patients with terminal illness. In Washington, which passed its initial Death with Dignity bill in 2008, state Senate bill ESSB 5179 proposes allowing nurse practitioners more involvement in medically-assisted death. As Ruby de Luna wrote for KUOW, … Continued
By Chris Haring For the first time since its introduction nearly a decade ago, a Delaware bill that would legalize the right to die will move to the State Senate. After ten years and for the first time, the Delaware House of Representatives has approved House Bill 140, aimed at expanding end-of-life options for terminally … Continued
In a Boston Globe story, Dr. Peg Sandeen and other medical aid in dying advocates respond to false arguments made by Cardinal Sean O’Malley in a recent op-ed. In Death with Dignity’s campaigns in Massachusetts, the staunchest opponent we face has consistently been the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. On April 15, 2024, the leader … Continued
By Chris Haring A law professor recently joined a podcast from medical influencer KevinMD to discuss why some restrictions on medical aid in dying lack a scientific basis. Since Oregon became the first state to legalize physician-assisted death in 1994, the right-to-die movement has gained considerable traction among the public, which has resulted in significant … Continued
By Chris Haring Colorado nurse Ashley Fry explains how access to physician-assisted death, legalized in 2016 in the state, would be improved by a current amendment. When Colorado voters passed Proposition 106 in 2016, it became the sixth state to legally permit medical aid in dying. At that time, with legalized assisted dying still uncommon … Continued
By Chris Haring Steven Petrow, whose sister Julie recently chose assisted dying in New Jersey after a long battle with cancer, talks about their relationship and her decision. When Julie Petrow-Cohen died on June 30, 2023, nobody was surprised. Although at only 61 years old, her lifespan was by modern standards far below the median, … Continued
By Chris Haring After nearly five years of litigation, the New Jersey Supreme Court recently rejected an attempt by opponents to overturn the state’s 2019 Death with Dignity law. The New Jersey right-to-die movement has reason to celebrate, as in a recent landmark decision, the state’s Supreme Court has upheld its medical aid in dying … Continued
By Chris Haring Anita Hannig, a cultural anthropologist and author of The Day I Die: The Untold Story of Assisted Dying in America, explains why MAID should be permitted. When, in 1994, Oregonians voted to approve the first-ever Death with Dignity Act in the nation, right-to-die advocates hoped it was just the start of allowing … Continued
By Chris Haring A January poll of over a thousand residents showed that an overwhelming majority of them would support the passage of the state’s Medical Aid in Dying Act. As the 2024 legislative session unfolds across the United States, all eyes are on the multiple states with pending bills that could place them among … Continued
By Chris Haring A medical professional explains why we should be careful not to conflate physician-assisted death and suicide – and who gets harmed when it happens. What’s in a name? In the ongoing debate regarding end-of-life options, quite a bit, as the distinction between two fundamentally different decisions – medical aid in dying and … Continued
By Chris Haring Following an emotional January public hearing, advocates are hoping that this session’s aid-in-dying bill clears its next legislative hurdle in February. Medical aid in dying is now closer than ever to being legally available for Minnesotans diagnosed with terminal illnesses who wish to assert autonomy during their final chapter and avoid needless … Continued
Task Force Spent Six Months Studying the Issue to Give Terminally Ill Patients the Right to Die with Dignity Portland, Oregon, January 22, 2024 – The New York State Bar Association officially backed a proposed state law to allow medical aid in dying for terminally ill patients in the State Legislature on Friday, January 19. … Continued
By Chris Haring New York state legislators Amy Paulin and Brad Hoylman-Sigal explain why their colleagues should urgently pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act this year. By 2016, when the debate around medical aid in dying gained significant traction in New York, five other jurisdictions across the United States had passed an assisted death … Continued
By Chris Haring A proposal introduced by Nashville Democrat Bob Freeman would expand end-of-life options for state residents who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. In a groundbreaking move, Tennessee Representative Bob Freeman (D-Nashville) recently filed a bill in the state’s General Assembly that aims to give Tennesseans the right to die with dignity. … Continued
By Chris Haring A recent story from The Guardian briefly looked at the state of play of medical aid in dying worldwide, highlighting the variations in laws across the globe. When Esther Rantzen, a presenter on the popular BBC program That’s Life! from 1973 to 1994, said in a recent interview that she joined the … Continued
By Chris Haring In a piece for WAMU/NPR’s 1A series, an assisted-death expert, a bioethicist, and a potential patient describe their outspoken support for the right to die. As 2024 quickly approaches, promising perhaps the most active year of assisted-dying legislation in states from coast to coast, the aid-in-dying movement in the United States continues … Continued
In a recent interview for Dead and Buried, Dr. Sandeen provided insight into how choosing medical aid in dying can provide a sense of dignity and autonomy. For veteran members of the Death with Dignity movement, long-immersed in the fight for expanded end-of-life options, the increased positivity and accuracy with which society talks about physician-assisted … Continued
By Chris Haring Al Taylor, a church leader representing Upper Manhattan in the New York State Assembly, described how a personal experience altered his view on assisted death. When New York Assemblymember Al Taylor (D – 71st District) began his first term six years ago, he says he “was adamantly – to [his] core – … Continued
Like many states still without a Death with Dignity law, Maryland right-to-die supporters say expanded end-of-life options are popular and needed
By Chris Haring Rollin, who served two decades on our board of directors, chose voluntary assisted dying earlier this month at the age of 87 in Switzerland. In the decades before Oregon voters approved the United States’ first Death with Dignity law in 1994, the widely misunderstood practice was considered a taboo topic (at best) … Continued
By Chris Haring Two Lower Hudson Valley volunteers share personal anecdotes as a part of their ongoing attempts to bring a Death with Dignity law to their home state. Should a residential address or zip code determine whether or not a person has the autonomy to decide when and how they die? Unlike neighboring aid-in-dying … Continued
The American Medical Association could cast a historic vote this week on two resolutions to change their position on medical aid in dying from “opposed” to “neutral.” The American Medical Association (AMA) will cast a historic vote this week at their annual meeting in Maryland on November 10-14, 2023 on two resolutions that could change … Continued
By Chris Haring Wisconsin lawmakers say they are introducing another medical aid in dying bill after a 2022 version failed to advance through the committee stage. For the second time in as many years, lawmakers in Wisconsin have proposed a bill that could grant residents facing terminal illnesses the option to request medication to end … Continued
By Chris Haring Right-to-die advocates in Illinois are hoping that a bill being proposed by the state’s ACLU chapter will expand end-of-life options for its residents. As 2023 begins to wind down and a new legislative season approaches, the aid-in-dying movement is taking a moment to celebrate the efforts of a coalition partner who hopes … Continued
By Chris Haring With Millennials and “Gen Z” becoming a greater portion of the voter base, understanding their values is imperative as we consider America’s political future. Talking about death publicly in an honest context can be uncomfortable at best. Understandably, the topic remains deeply sensitive and personal for many folks and can trigger such … Continued
Death with Dignity’s CEO Dr. Peg Sandeen and Board Member Eli Stutsman were featured in a story that appeared in The New York Times on October 24, 2023: How Aid in Dying Became Medical, Not Moral. In the early 1990s, living with AIDS was a challenge riddled with harsh judgments. So when Death with Dignity … Continued
By Chris Haring Right-to-die advocates and coalition partners shared their support for the End of Life Options Act, an assisted-dying bill proposed in 2022. With increasing momentum on our side, the aid-in-dying movement in Massachusetts hopes that a 2024 edition of a medical aid-in-dying bill first introduced into the state legislature approximately a decade and … Continued
By Chris Haring Despite some recent setbacks, right-to-die advocates remain committed to expanding end-of-life options for Connecticut residents through legislation. It’s a familiar inspirational phrase: “If at first you don’t succeed…” Right-to-die advocates in Connecticut have taken this popular perseverance proverb to heart, exemplifying the values of persistence and dedication. Thanks to their efforts, the … Continued
By Chris Haring Julie McFadden, a California hospice nurse, explains what happens when a patient who has chosen Death with Dignity ingests prescribed end-of-life medications. What physically unfolds when an individual facing a terminal diagnosis takes control of their life story’s final chapter by choosing medical aid in dying? A medical professional’s testimony, backed by … Continued
By Chris Haring As Lynda Bluestein, a CT right-to-die advocate, approaches her final months, she has found a unique way to help others grieving the deaths of loved ones. In a world often silent about the realities of death and grief, Lynda Bluestein, a 76-year-old Bridgeport, CT resident diagnosed with terminal cancer, stands as a … Continued
By Chris Haring Delawarean Dawn Lentz, who lives with a progressive neurological condition, makes the case for her state to pass HB 140 and legalize medical aid in dying. Delawareans deserve the right to choose their own path, especially at the end of life. A recent op-ed in the (Delaware) Daily State News resonates with … Continued
By Chris Haring Dr. Stefanie Green, a pioneering Canadian physician in assisted dying, shares the transformative journey of a patient who chose Death with Dignity. What if we had the power to choose when, where, and how we approach the end of our lives? A Canadian doctor explains medical aid in dying’s evolution in her … Continued
By Chris Haring In a new book, Marie Bianco explores the link between intersectional feminism and aid in dying through care, accountability, and self-determination. Among the broad scope of intersectional feminism, where personal autonomy and choice are paramount, Death with Dignity can be an overlooked but natural companion. In an excerpt from her thought-provoking exploration, … Continued
By Chris Haring Minnesota aid-in-dying advocates are hoping that the state’s upcoming legislative session will include approval of the proposed End-of-Life Options Act. A Minnesota woman is hoping her husband’s dying wish might be fulfilled, albeit posthumously: Ellen Kennedy says her late spouse’s final request was that, unlike him, others would have the choice to … Continued